Sickle-bar



(No Model.)

G. M. COMES.

. SIGKLE BAR.

Patented Dec. 1, 1 891.

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NrT n STATES ATnNr Fries.

GIDEON M. COMES, OF PRESTON, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE C.BROWN, OF GALLATIN, MISSOURI.

SlCKLE-BAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,453, dated December1, 1891.

Application filed February 12, 1891. Serial No. 381,207. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GIDEON M. CoMBs, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Preston, in the county of Pratt and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and usef ul Improvements inSickle-Bars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in sickle-bars for harvesters;and it consists in providing an improved form of sickle-bar, in whichthe cutter-blades are beveled on one side and act in conjunction withthe oppositely-beveled fingers, so that the grain will be severed by ashearing cut and caused to fall in the same direction, as will behereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a plan view of a sickle-bar constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the line an moi Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the cutterblades detached.

A refers to the supporting-bar, which is suitably attached to theharvester-frame and is providedlat each end with wheels B, one of whichis driven from the driving-wheel of the harvester by meansof a belt orother suitable mechanism. These wheels are hexagonal in shape and ateach corner are provided with semicircular recesses 12, to one side ofwhich are points I), and are mounted on stub-shafts carried by plates C,which are adj ustably secured to the ends of the bar A, so that anyslack which may arise by reason of the stretching or giving of theendless chain of cutters can be taken up. The bar A has secured to theunder side thereof an angle-plate D, the portion d of which serves as asupport for the fingers E, these fingers being provided with horizontalplates 6, having a straight and an angular edge. Rear of the points ofthe fingers are attached rearwardly-proj ectin g plates 6, beneath whichand above the plate e the cutter-blades move, as shown. To the uppersurface of the barA is secured a strap d,which lies over the recesswithin which the cutterblades lie.

The cutter-blades F are made up of a single piece of sheet metal shapedto provide an angular cutting-edge f and bent to present apor tion F atright angles with the blade. An opening is provided in the portion F ofthe blade, the end wall of which is re-enforced by having a portion ofthe metal removed to form said opening bent thereon, the inner edge fbeing rounded, as shown. The opposite end of the portion F of thecutter-blade is extended and coiled, as shown at f. A series of cuttersthus constructed may be assembled to form an endless chain, the beveledor cutting edges f of which will all lie in the same direction, and saidchain will be flexible to such an extent that it may turn around theroller or sprocket-Wheels B. The plates 6 of the finger-bars may bebeveled on their inclined edges.

The improved endless chain of cutters,when used in connection with thefinger-bars hereinbefore described, is effective in operation, and itwill be observed that a shearing cut will be given to the grain. It willalso be observed that the grain will be gathered between the fingers andthat the greatest pressure in cutting will come near the base of theknives. In a device thus constructed there is always an even tensionupon the knife, and the- 1. In combination with a bar A, having se-'cured thereto angle-bars forming front and rear recesses, strips securedto the upper side of the bar, the front strip lying partially over therecesses and the rear strip projecting rearwardly to cover the cutters,fingers carrying plates e, beneath which the endless chain of cutterspasses, said cutters being made up of knives F and depending portions F,formed integral therewith, said depending portions having loops f 2 andre-enforced vertical portions f, with apertures adjacent thereto,sprocket-Wheels B, having straight faces, recesses b, and projections11, with which the depending portions of the cutters engage, theprojecting portions on the sprocket-wheel being adapted to enter theapertures in the depending portion of the cutter, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination,with an endless chain of cutters, which are flexiblyconnected directly \Vitnesses:

N. G. ROBERTSON, IT. M. NIcoL.

